Hair collecting collar for barbershop use

ABSTRACT

A readily attachable elastic collar (rubber or plastic material) adapted to be fitted snugly but yieldingly around the neck of a customer whose hair is being cut and which embodies facilities to collect, trap and dispose of the hair clippings. The upper edge is fashioned into a hollow bead whose hollow portion provides a hair conveying duct. An inward convex surface of the bead is provided with a row of hair inlet slots which feed the loose hairs into the duct. One rearward end terminates in a corrugated neck which is connectible with a suction hose. The other end is provided with an extending tongue which provides a hose-end connecting flap and which is adjustably but retentively held in a given position. The lower edge portion of the collar has a channel for reception and support of the upper hem-equipped end of the usual apron.

[ 1 Sept. 26, 1972 [54] HAIR COLLECTING COLLAR FOR BARBERSHOP USE [72]Inventor: ,Ierry E. Gilbert, St. Louis, Mo.

[73] Assignee: James Craig Foster, Jr., Fenton, Mo. ;a part interest[22] Filed: July 19, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 163,769

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 364,279 l/ 1932 Great Britain ..2/50

Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and HarveyB. Jacobson [57] I 1 ABSTRACT A readily attachable elastic collar(rubber or plastic material) adapted to be fitted snugly but yieldinglyaround the neck of a customer whose hair is being cut and which embodiesfacilities to collect, trap and dispose of the hair clippings. The upperedge is fashioned into a hollow bead whose hollow portion provides ahair conveying duct. An inward convex surface of the bead is providedwith a row of hair inlet slots which feed the loose hairs into the duct.One rearward end terminates in a corrugated neck which is connectiblewith a suction hose. The other end is provided with an extending tonguewhich provides a hoseend connecting flap and which is adjustably butretentively held in a given position. The lower edge portion of thecollar has a channel for reception and support of the upper hem-equippedend of the usual apron.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTED W2 5 Fig.

Jerry E. Gilber/ HAIR COLLECTING COLLAR FOR BARBERSHOP USE Thisinvention relates to an elastic hair collecting collar which is uniquelydesigned and adapted to be fitted with requisite nicety and comfortaround a customer's neck and which is capable of collecting the hairclippings and conveying the same to a suction hose for disposition.

More specifically the concept pertains to devices which are expresslydesigned and adapted for use in barbershops and the like and whereinmeans, of one type or another, is utilized to trap and convey haircuttings and clippings from a receiving trough or the like to a disposalhose or an equivalent conduit. Persons conversant with this field ofendeavor are aware that vacuum-type lobse hair collectors are not new.For example, and for background purposes, the reader can refer to thepneumatic hair collector disclosed in the James W. Deckert patent, U.S.Pat. No. 825, 961, and which has to do with a collector characterized bya channel, conduit or passageway through or in which the hair is drawnby suction. Another adaptation in the same category of inventions is theLewis A. Garnbon vacuum collector, U.S. Pat. No. 1,560,347, whichlikewise is characterized by an upwardly opening relatively broadtrough.

An object of the present invention is to structurally, functionally andin other ways improve upon prior art hair clippings collectors and, inso doing, to provide an innovation which features facilities which,conjointly construed, better serve the purposes for which the inventionunder advisement is intended for use.

Briefly, the adaptation herein revealed and offered for use lends itselfto use in a barbershop. It is characterized by an elastic (suitablerubber or moldable plastic material) collar which is circumferentiallyadjustable and is such in construction that it is acceptably adapted tosnugly but yieldingly surround and embrace the neck of the customerwhose hair is being cut. This collar has an upper longitudinal edgeportion, a lower longitudinal edge portion and an intervening web-likebody portion which is commensurate in length with and serves tointegrally unite the upper and lower edge portions. This collar has freebut separably connectible ends, that is, rearward end portions. Theupper edge portion of the collar has a hollow duct embodied thereinwhich is provided with communicating hair inlet and trapping means, thatis a row of circumferentially extending spaced slots. The duct is closedat one rearward end and is unobstructedly open at the other rearwardend. This last-named end has a projecting neck with a terminal end whichis adapted to com municatively but releasably connect with a suctionhose by way of which the entrapped hair is conveyed to a place ofdeposit. The other closed rearward end is provided with a flat-facedflexible tongue which constitutes and serves as a connecting flap. Thisflap overlaps an end portion of the neck-equipped end and is detachablyand adjustably cooperable therewith and is held in a set adjustedposition by way of an appropriately designed readily attachable anddetachable inverted U-shaped or equivalent clip.

These together with other objects and advantages :which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective showing the hair collecting collarconstructed in accordance with the invention, showing it applied andsurrounding the neck of a customer, and also showing the suction hose atthe right, and the upper gathered end portion of an apron which istemporarily attached and anchored in position on the lower portion ofthe collar.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the collar by itself and with theaforementioned clip detached.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the plane ofthe section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of theindicating arrows.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the flap-equippedend and neck-equipped end of the collar overlap and are separablyconnected by the attached clip.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on the plane ofthe line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the elastic collar and particularly to FIG. 2, it willbe seen that the collar, construed as an entity, is denoted by thenumeral 8. This collar is of variable length, cross-sectional dimensionand made of appropriate materials such as rubber or plastic havingsuitable structural properties as well as strength and resiliency.Broadly this collar has an upper edge portion, a lower edge portion andan intervening web or body portion.

More specifically the upper longitudinal edge portion is fashioned intoand provides a substantially enlarged hollow approximately cylindricalbead 10 having an upper exterior convex rounded or peripheral surface 12and a similarly rounded inward convex surface 14. This bead, beinghollow, provides an appropriate duct 16 which entraps the loose or cuthair and conveys it to the desired point of disposal. The neckencompassing contacting convex surface 14 is provided with a row ofcircumferentially arranged, that is longitudinally spaced elongatedslots 18. These slots communicate with the duct 16 in the manner broughtout in FIG. 3. When the collar is in place the surface 14 is such thatit does not crowd the contacted surfaces of the wearer's neck but ratherdiverges upwardly and outwardly and provides a sort of neck-encompassingpocket which facilitates collecting the hair cuttings and feeding thesame by way of the slots 18 into the disposal duct 16. The lowermarginal edge portion of the collar is provided with an encirclingtrough 20 (FIG. 5) which has its respective ends closed as evident inFIG. 2. This trough embodies spaced depending wall or flange portions 22and 24 whose lower marginal edges are convexly rounded as at 26 (FIG.3). It will be noted that the outer wall 24 is slightly shorter than thewall 22 with the result that this openable and closable channel servesto accommodate a hem 28 on the upper gathered portion 30 of theconventional apron 32 (FIGS. 1 and 3). Thus, the collar serves not onlyto encompass the neck and collect the hair clippings but providesanchoring and supporting means for the upper edge portion of the apron.The thicker but resilient web portion 34 serves to connect the head 12and channeled lower edge of the complete ready-to-use collar 8.

One closed end portion 36 (FIG. 2) is provided with an extendingflexible flat-faced tongue 38 which constitutes a flap and which inpractice is adapted to abut a surface portion 40 of the open-end portion42 at the other end of the collar. This open-end portion is providedwith an extended corrugated flexible neck 44 whose open end 46 isadapted to be fitted telescopingly into the nipple or ferrule 48 of thesuction hose 50.

The component parts so far set forth and embodied in the over-all collar8, are shown with requisite particularity in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 inparticular. It will be evident from FIG. 2 when compared with FIGS. 1and 4, that the tongue-like flap 38 can be overlapped with the endportion 40 of the collar to in this manner adjoin, that is adjustably,the respective rearward end portions of the collar. In order to maintainthe overlapping relationship and to achieve the adjustment desired,fastening means is provided. This means preferably comprises a readilyattachable and detachable clip, that is, a substantially invertedU-shaped clip 52 as shown best in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. One straight leg 54of the clip is firm and is adapted to reside in firm contact with thetongue-like flap 38 as brought out in FIG. 5. The bent or curvateportion 56 is arched over the beard and flap and the free flared endportion 58 fits into the recessed or curvate exterior surface portion ofthe web or body portion 34 as best shown in FIG. 5. This recessedportion plus the enlarged bead 12 facilitates maintaining the clip onceit is properly applied and used in the manner illustrated for example inFIG. 4.

A studied consideration of the views of the drawing, singly andcollectively, will reveal the nature, broadly and specifically of thesplit snug-fitting elastic collar. FIG. 1 shows the collar attached andalso with the neck 44 communicatively joined with the suction anddisposal hose 50 by way of the nipple or ferrule 48. The constructionand use of the clip 52 is evident from FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. The manner ofsupporting the hem 28 of the apron 32 is evident in FIG. 3. It issubmitted, therefore, that the construction and manner of use of thisinnovation will be clear from the over-all disclosure. Accordingly, amore extended explanation is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use in a barbershop, a collecting and disposal device for hairclippings comprising: an elastic collar which is adapted to snugly butyieldingly embrace the neck of a customer whose hair is being cut, saidcollar having an upper longitudinal edge portion, a lower longitudinaledge portion and an intervening web-like body portion commensurate inlength with and uniting said upper and lower edge portions, said collarhaving free but separably connectible rearward end portions, said upperedge portion having a hollow duct which is provided with communicatinghair inlet and trapping means, said duct being closed at one rearwardend and unobstructedly open at the other rearward end, said last-namedend having a projecting neck with a ter minal end which is adapted to becommunicatively but releasably connected with a suction hose by way ofwhich the entrapped hair is conveyed by suction to a place of deposit.

2. The collar defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein saidupper edge portion is fashioned into and provides'an enlarged tubularbead, the upper surface of said bead being convexly rounded and saidtrapping means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced slotsopening into and communicating with said duct.

3. The collar defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein saidconvexly rounded surface is characterized by an inward peripheral convexsurface and an outward peripheral convex surface, said slots beingconfined to and formed in row alignment in said inward convexsurfacefree of contact with and blockage by the customers neck in a manner tofacilitate collecting of the hair clippings and delivery of the sameinto said duct by way of said slots.

4. The collar defined in and according to claim 2, and wherein saidlower edge is formed with a downwardly opening elongated channel forreception and retention of the usual hem at the upper end encompassingportion of a conventional-type apron.

5. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 1, and whereinsaid neck is bendably resilient and its peripheral surface is corrugatedin a manner to provide encircling ring-like ribs whereby to facilitatetelescopic connection with a ferrule on a free connectible end of saidsuction hose.

6. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 1, and whereinsaid one rearward closed end is formed with an elongated flat-facedflexible hose-end connecting flap which when in use is capable ofabutting a prescribed side surface of said other rearward end adjacentsaid neck in a manner to be temporarily and adjustably held in place.

7. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 1, and whereinsaid one rearward closed end is formed with a flat-faced hose endconnecting flap, and a readily attachable and detachable clasp having astraight leg which is adapted to contact a given inward face of saidflap, and a resilient clip which has a flared free end and which is thusadapted to conformingly snap over a selected portion of said upperlongitudinal edge portion.

8. For use in a barbershop, a collecting and disposal device for hairclippings comprising: an elastic collar which is adapted to snugly butyieldingly surround the neck for a customer whose hair is being cut bythe barber, said collar being of one piece construction and having anupper longitudinal edge portion which is fashioned into an enlargedhollow substantially cylindrical bead, the hollow portion of said beadproviding a loose hair receiving and conveying duct, the exteriorperipheral surface of said bead being convexly rounded and the inwardconvex surface having a row of aligned longitudinally spaced hair inletslots which are normally spaced from and are free of blocking contactwith the wearers neck and are in communication with said duct, saidcollar having a lower longitudinal edge portion embodying a downwardlyopening elongated channel for reception and retention of the usual hemprovided at the upper end of a conventional-type apron, said collar alsohavinga web-like body portion commensurate in length with and bendablyuniting said lower edge portion with said bead, 'said bead and ductbeing closed at one end and provided with a flat-faced tongue whichconstitutes a collar end connecting flap, and said collar being open atits other end and being provided with a projecting neck which is adaptedto be communicatively but releasably connected with a suction hose byway of which the entrapped hair is conveyed to a suitable place ofdeposit.

9. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 8, and whereinsaid neck is bendably resilient and its peripheral surface is corrugatedin a manner to provide encircling ring-like ribs whereby to facilitatetelescopic connection with a ferrule on a free connectible end of saidsuction hose.

10. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 9, and, incombination, a readily attachable and detachable collar end connectingclasp, said clasp having a firm straight leg which is adapted to assumea given retaining position against a coacting inward face of said flap,and a complemental resilient leg which is bent upon itself and has aflared free end which is adapted to conformingly snap over a selectedend portion of the collar at the inward junctional end of said neck.

* IF F l

1. For use in a barbershop, a collecting and disposal device for hairclippings comprising: an elastic collar which is adapted to snugly butyieldingly embrace the neck of a customer whose hair is being cut, saidcollar having an upper longitudinal edge portion, a lower longitudinaledge portion and an intervening web-like body portion commensurate inlength with and uniting said upper and lower edge portions, said collarhaving free but separably connectible rearward end portions, said upperedge portion having a hollow duct which is provided with communicatinghair inlet and trapping means, said duct being closed at one rearwardend and unobstructedly open at the other rearward end, said last-namedend having a projecting neck with a terminal end which is adapted to becommunicatively but releasably connected with a suction hose by way ofwhich the entrapped hair is conveyed by suction to a place of deposit.2. The collar defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein saidupper edge portion is fashioned into and provides an enlarged tubularbead, the upper surface of said bead being convexly rounded and saidtrapping means comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced slotsopening into and communicating with said duct.
 3. The collar defined inand according to claim 2, and wherein said convexly rounded surface ischaracterized by an inward peripheral convex surface and an outwardperipheral convex surface, said slots being confined to and formed inrow alignment in said inward convex surface free of contact with andblockage by the customer''s neck in a manner to facilitate collecting ofthe hair clippings and delivery of the same into said duct by way ofsaid slots.
 4. The collar defined in and according to claim 2, andwherein said lower edge is formed with a downwardly opening elongatedchannel for reception and retention of the usual hem at the upper endencompassing portion of a conventional-type apron.
 5. The elastic collardefined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said neck is bendablyresilient and its peripheral surface is corrugated in a manner toprovide encircling ring-like ribs whereby to facilitate telescopicconnection with a ferrule on a free connectible end of said suctionhose.
 6. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 1, andwherein said one rearward closed end is formed with an elongatedflat-faced flexible hose-end connecting flap which when in use iscapable of abutting a prescribed side surface of said other rearward endadjacent said neck in a manner to be temporarily and adjustably held inplace.
 7. The elastic collar defined in and according to claim 1, andwherein said one rearward closed end is formed with a flat-faced hoseend connecting flap, and a readily attachable and detachable clasphaving a straight leg which is adapted to contact a given inward face ofsaid flap, and a resilient clip which has a flared free end and which isthus adapted to conformingly snap over a selected portion of said upperlongitudinal edge portion.
 8. For use in a barbershop, a collecting anddisposal device for hair clippings comprising: an elastic collar whichis adapted to snugly but yieldingly surround the neck for a customerwhose hair is being cut by the barber, said collar being of one piececonstruction and having an upper longitudinal edge portion which isfashioned into an enlarged hollow substantially cylindrical bead, thehollow portion of said bead providing a loose hair receiving andconveying duct, the exterior peripheral surface of said bead beingconvexly rounded and the inward convex surface having a row of alignedlongitudinally spaced hair inlet slots which are normally spaced fromand are free of blocking contact with the wearer''s neck and are incommunication with said duct, said collar having a lower longitudinaledge portion embodying a downwardly opening elongated channel forreception and retention of the usual hem provided at the upper end of aconventional-type apron, said collar also having a web-like body portioncommensurate in length with and bendably uniting said lower edge portionwith said bead, said bead and duct being closed at one end and providedwith a flat-faced tongue which constitutes a collar end connecting flap,and said collar being open at its other end and being provided with aprojecting neck which is adapted to be communicatively but releasablyconnected with a suction hose by way of which the entrapped hair isconveyed to a suitable place of deposit.
 9. The elastic collar definedin and according to claim 8, and wherein said neck is bendably resilientand its peripheral surface is corrugated in a manner to provideencircling ring-like ribs whereby to facilitate telescopic connectionwith a ferrule on a free connectible end of said suction hose.
 10. Theelastic collar defined in and according to claim 9, and, in combination,a readily attachable and detachable collar end connecting clasp, saidclasp having a firm straight leg which is adapted to assume a givenretaining position against a coactinG inward face of said flap, and acomplemental resilient leg which is bent upon itself and has a flaredfree end which is adapted to conformingly snap over a selected endportion of the collar at the inward junctional end of said neck.